The positive messages are related to the movie's cautionary-tale aspects. From that angle, it encourages teens and kids who feel helpless and depressed about their family situation to seek a trusted adult in the community to reach out to, even if that's hard or scary to do. Explores the dangers of substance abuse and how divorce and mental illness affect more than the individuals going through them. The twins show how close siblings can be and how important honesty is in family relationships.

An initially consensual make-out session (although she's underage, so it would be construed as statutory rape) turns into a near-sexual assault, and the young woman must push the older man away. A character overdoses and (spoiler alert) later dies, presumably from an overdose. A surfer "gang" threatens outsiders who want to surf in "their" spot; a few of them get in people's faces and, in one case, punch a guy. A woman angrily throws a tennis ball toward her estranged ex.

Teen couples shown kissing/making out. One love scene between two teenagers -- bare backs and underwear seen. A man is clearly having an affair (offscreen).

Frequent strong language: "f--k," "s--t," "a--hole," "f----r," "bitch," etc.

Mercedes, Volvo, Jeep. Consumerism plays a big role in the community.

Underage drinking (mostly beer) and somewhat pervasive drug use that leads to a hospitalization and (spoiler alert) a death via overdose. Adults also drink and smoke cigarettes. Discussion and close-ups of prescription drugs.